The characters of Twelfth Night are both memorable and engaging and it is through their funny, and at times bitter, interplay that we experience the peculiar world of Shakespeare's Illyria. This study begins with a introduction to the concept of "characters" on the early-modern stage before proceeding to a textual analysis of each of the main characters in the play, looking at how what they say and do, and what is said about them, creates the illusion of "character." Each chapter also contains a brief account of key performances by actors on stage and in film.

This book is a concise single volume guide to studying Shakespeare, covering practical as well as theoretical issues. The text deals with the major topics on a chapter-by-chapter basis, starting with why we study Shakespeare, through Shakespeare and multimedia, to a final chapter on Shakespeare and Theory. Current trends and recent developments in Shakespearean studies are also discussed, with an emphasis on the contextualisation of Shakespeare, historical appropriations of his work and the debate concerning his place in the literary canon. Extensive reference is made to a variety of...